Reading glass



March 21, 1939. E G, FORGEA 2,150,916

` READING 'GLASS Filed Deo. 17, 1937 HQL- /6 f5 Y wwf Patented Mar. 21,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370O. G. '757) This invention described. herein may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a reading glass, more particularly it isdirected to avdevice of this character including magnifying means andhaving means for illuminating objects such as maps or the like to bemagnified.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a relativelyinexpensive and at the same time an eiiicient and convenient type ofreading glass.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a reading glass havingmeans to support the same at the proper distance from the magnifiedobject, to properly light a portion of a map or other object to bemagnified, to provide a lighting unit having a source of current supplyfrom dry cells, to provide means for detachably connecting the lightingunit to the supporting means of the reading glass, and to provide meansfor permitting use of a plotting scale, rule or writing implement Withinthe device on the magnified and illuminated portion of the map or thelike.

With the above and other objects and advantages in View the inventionconsists of certain features of construction and operation of partswhich will hereinafter appear and in which- Fig. 1 is a top view of theinvention;

- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,and

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing the invention, a bodyportion I is provided which may be made of tin or other suitablematerial having the property of diffusing light impinging thereon, orthe interior of the body may be lined or coated with light diffusingmaterial such as aluminum paint or the like. The body portion I isopened at its lower or bottom end 2 and closed on its upper end by alens 3 mounted in a holder 4. Intermediate'the upper andv lower ends ofthe body portion at substantially the central portion thereof is alateral opening 5 in which a bezel portion 6 of a flashlight 1 isadapted to project. The flashlight 1 is of a fiat substantially oblongshape having rounded ends 8. The bezel portion 6 is formed on one sideof the flashlight at the center thereof and is adapted to surround alens 9 which closes the outer end of a reflector I0, the inner end ofthe reflector IIJ being adapted to surround the base of an electric lampII, which is energized by means of dry cells I2 and controlled by aswitch button I3 in the conventional manner. The longer portion of theoblong shaped flashlight 1 is vertically mounted on theV body portion Iand is detachably held to the body portion by means` of a U-shapedmember I4, the free ends I5 of which are pivotally connected to oppositesides of the body portion by rivets I6 or the like. The outer portionI'I of the U-shaped member extends out from the body portion I asuflicient distance to pass over the upper end 8 of the flashlight andcontact the outer side I8 thereof. The side of the body portion Icontaining the lateral opening 5 is shaped to present a flat surface I9against which the inner flat side of the flashlight 1 may abut, theupper end of the flat surface I9 terminating in a curved surface 20which conforms to a portion of the curvature of the upper rounded end 8of the flashlight.

A substantially U-shaped re-entrant cut-out portion 2| is formed in thelower end of the body portion I at a right angle to the lateral opening5 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

In using the device, the flashlight 'I is placed on the body portion Iadjacent to the lateral opening 5 and the U-shaped member I4 is turnedo-n its pivots I6 to engage the upper end of the flashlight. The openbottom 2 of the body portion I is then placed on a portion of a map orthe like to be illuminated and magnified and the switch button I3 ismanipulated by the hand to operate the lamp II through the dry cells I2.A plotting scale, rule or writing implement may then be inserted withinthe body portion I by means of the cut-out portion 2l provided thereinand used on the magnified and illuminated portion of the map or otherobject.

Even though I have herein described the invention as a reading glass, itis nevertheless to be understood that it is not limited to a glass forreading printed matter only, but may be used as a magnifying glass forall purposes, such as reading printed matter, examining material ofvarious sorts, used by surgeons and others to illuminate parts of apersons anatomy and the like.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the device Without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A light conserving magnifier comprising a. casing having an internallight reflecting surface and a lateral opening, one end of said casingconstituting a magnifying lens, the other end of said casing being openand having a peripheral edge lying in a plane, which peripheral edge isadapted to seat on a surface to be examined, means constituting a lightsource contiguous to said lateral opening, said light source adapted toproject light rays through said opening ontoA the internal lightreecting surface of said casing and another lateral opening in saidcasing constituting a Window through which an indica-tor may beinserted, said last mentioned lateral opening extending through saidperipheral edge.

2. A light conserving magnier comprising a casing having an internallight reecting surface and a lateral opening, one end of said casingconstituting a magnifying lens, the other end of said casing being openand having a peripheral edge lying in a plane, which peripheral edge isadapted to seat on a surface to be examined, a lamp housing abuttingsaid casing and extending from said lateral opening, a lamp in saidhousing, said lamp adapted to project light rays through said openingonto the internal light reflecting surface of said casing, anotherlateral opening in said casing constituting a Window through which anindicator may be inserted and means pivotally connected to said casingand adapted to engage detachably said lamp housing for holding saidhousing against said casing.

EMMEI'I' G. FORGEA.

